1. Hosting Reimbursement
Updated: July 2017

2. This guide will cover the following:
Definition of hosting expenses
Definition of meal types
Definitions of meetings and event types
Allowable occasions for hosting reimbursement
Unallowable occasions for hosting reimbursement
Requirements for requesting reimbursement
Links

3. What are “hosting expenses”?
Hosting expenses are the costs associated with non-travel business meals, refreshments, and other hospitality expenses when hosting official guests, training sessions, conferences, or other university-sponsored events to conduct official Oregon University System business.

4. What are the meal types?
A “meal” includes food and beverages provided at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It does not include alcoholic beverages.
“Light refreshments” include beverages such as coffee, tea, bottled water, juice, soda. Food items such as fruit, cookies, pastries, chips, etc. are also considered refreshments when not served as part of a meal.

5. What are the occasion types?
Unit or departmental staff retreat: A staff retreat has a written agenda with a clear business purpose, list of attendees with departmental affiliation, and is held away from the normal work location.
Conference or workshop: Organized training sponsored by the university which includes non-employees. Generally a registration fee is charged to the attendees.
Training event: Formal training (dissemination of information) to employees or volunteers and the location is away from the place where the employee normally performs his/her work.
Recognition event: An event that formally recognizes volunteers or students for specific accomplishment. This does not include retirement events/celebrations or other employee recognition.
Departmental meeting: Regularly scheduled staff, faculty, student government or other student group meeting.

6. When is a hosting expense reimbursable?
Hosting expenses of official guests of the institution can be paid with university funds. These include candidates and accompanying family member(s) to fill employee positions, visiting scholars/scientists/artists, seminar speakers, advisory board members, prospective students, prospective student athletes within appropriate athletic association guidelines, and other guests whose visit provide a clear benefit to the institution.
Business-related group functions can be paid with university funds. These include conferences, workshops, departmental staff retreats, training sessions, employee working meals, student recruitment and orientation, non-employee and student recognition events, official graduation recognition, and volunteer appreciation.

7. Hosting groups and guests
An employee may, in the course of employment, serve as a host for non-employee guests of the institution or for a non-employee group, paying for expenses such as meals, refreshments and transportation. Official guests of the institution might include recruitment candidates, visiting dignitaries, potential donors, or guest speakers and must be non-employees.
The documentation for such charges must indicate the following:
business purpose
name of the authorized departmental person who approved the purchase
list of attendees
date and location
Receipts must be itemized and gratuities are generally limited to 15%.

8. When is a hosting expense reimbursable? Continued
A meal may be provided for employees on the work site during an overtime period for the convenience of the university and must be paid as required to comply with the union contract and BOLI laws.
University funds can pay for refreshments served at volunteer appreciation, student and other focus groups, conference, workshop, student recruitment, and similar official events which involve non- employees.
University funds can pay for refreshments served to institutional employees at business functions when the function lasts at least two hours.
If the event is located on campus, the food portion must be offered to University Catering first. If they decline, then an outside vendor may be used. *You must submit catering’s denial of services with your reimbursement documents

9. Meals at meetings
Meal charges may be paid when an inter-departmental or inter-institutional meeting is called for a specific purpose and the meal is included as part of the meetings formal agenda. Examples include meals served at a convention, conference or training session. In such situations, the meals full cost is paid when it is outside the employees control. When the employee can order from a menu and control the cost, reimbursement is limited to the in-state rates for travelers. Inter departmental means more than 1 department.

10. When is a hosting expense reimbursable? Continued
Costs for entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any costs directly associated with such (meals, tickets to shows, sports events, transportation, lodging) may be paid with university funds if they meet the following criteria:
the event is part of a formal university-sponsored conference where the cost is recovered from participant fees
the activity is part of a self-support instructional program where the participant is charged a fee to cover the cost
the event is funded by student incidental fees, authorized by the institution’s student association, and is for the benefit of student group events. (This does not include meals for student groups.)
the event or activity is approved in a specific grant or contract
the activity is part of athletic travel and cost is allowed per appropriate athletic association guidelines

11. When is a hosting expense reimbursable? Continued
Gratuities: Reimbursement for a tip/gratuity of up to 15% of the charge is allowable when hosting groups or guests. The 15% limit does not apply when the establishment adds a service charge for larger groups in lieu of gratuity. In that case, the amount of the service charge is not within the control of the customer. Tips or fees for alcoholic beverage service are not reimbursable. These costs must be separated and included with alcoholic beverage purchase.

12. What is not a reimbursable occasion?
Alumni, fundraising and other social (non-business) activities
Department social activities such as celebrating holidays, birthdays, etc.
Regularly scheduled departmental meetings
For-credit class refreshments or meals
Flowers, house plants or flower arrangements for offices or as donations/memorials/gifts. (Plants for public lobby or reception areas are allowed.)
Charitable donations to/for any individual or organization
Items for faculty, staff or student personal use, such as break time coffee, tea, soda, snacks

13. What is not a reimbursable occasion? Continued
Alcoholic beverages. Exception: Alcoholic beverages may be purchased when served at group functions that are part of a university-sponsored conference where the full cost of such beverages is recovered through charges to the participants or sponsoring group. The institution is responsible for ensuring compliance with all laws and Oregon Liquor Control Commission regulations, including obtaining a one-day license for serving beer and wine. The caterer must be approved as a university vendor for insurance purposes and IRS reporting.

14. What do I need for reimbursement?
Expenses can be approved or reimbursed when it is determined the costs are:
necessary
appropriate to the occasion
reasonable in amount
serve a bona fide university business purpose
Payment request must include:
Who - names of the individuals attending
What - what is being paid
When - date(s)
Where - location of the event
Why - purpose of the event
A complete agenda of the meeting including participants, department names, time, date, location, and business purpose will satisfy the above criteria. Submit this agenda with your receipts for reimbursement.

15. What do I need for reimbursement?
An employee can request payment for food and supplies when official guests are hosted at their home. The reimbursement request must include an itemized sales slip of the items purchased.
The receipt(s) must separately itemize meals, gratuities, alcoholic beverages and any charges for room use. A "tear tag" showing only the total charge is inadequate for reimbursement. Every effort should be made to provide an itemized receipt; however, if this is not possible, a non-itemized receipt will be accepted upon submission of a written statement specifying the expense details and signed by the employee.

16. Checklist for reimbursement
Please complete the required checklist and submit with your reimbursement request to FASS Accounts Payable.
link

17. For more information: